The media are capable of both helping young people to shape their worldview and contributing to the destruction of their psyche. In any case, information coming to young people through the media leaves a mark on individuals.
The social environment has a significant impact on a person. But adolescents are especially vulnerable to social influence. At the age of 13-15, a child can even close in himself, if he does not find himself in the right social group that can help him adapt in a difficult transition period. But in addition to society itself, the mass media have a significant influence on the formation of a young person's personality.
Mass media and shaping the worldview of youth
Less and less often, the worldview of young people is formed under the influence of the older generation. Listening to mom and dad is not possible, and not relevant in a rapidly changing world. But TVs and magazines imperceptibly for many have become significant authorities for young people.
For example, take girls' magazines. Representatives of the beautiful half of humanity have used advice from such publications at least once. And young men, in turn, fall under the influence of men's publications like Maxim, adopting the cult of a beautiful body and other aspects of their formation.
The above can be attributed to the number of personal impacts, but there is also a collective type of mass media impact. Television creates subcultures. It is pointless to argue with this. After all, the more often this or that star flashes on the screen, the higher the likelihood that very soon crowds of young people will adopt the style and manners of the idol. Ideas and cults of narcotic drugs are put into the TV picture for suggestible adolescents, let us recall the recently released film “The Great Gatsby”, or, on the contrary, they are immersed in patriotic moods through the TV series “Soldiers”, which demonstrates all the positive aspects of service to the Motherland.
Media as a means of managing generations
The circle of interests of a young man, who has not yet seen life and has no relevant experience, is formed due to information obtained from outside. And it's good when the external source is mainly books, and not television or glossy publications. Indeed, through the media, the mighty of this world can directly control the masses.
Of course, the ability to control minds through the media is not a reason to put young people in an information vacuum. But to abuse the "eating" of everything that the press, television and radio "prepare" is not the best way to raise a person capable of thinking and analyzing independently. Given the high level of influence of the media on the process of socialization of young people, it is worth carefully monitoring the information provided in the public domain through the above channels. In the Russian Federation, an example of such control can be considered the introduction of an age qualification for watching films and television programs, marking broadcasts with the "18+", "12+" badges, etc.
